ledyard public schools social studies curriculum grade 6

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Ledyard Public Schools Social Studies Curriculum

Grade 6

World Regional Studies: The West

World Regional Studies is a two-year course for grade six and seven. In grade six, students study at least four world regions in the West, and through the primary lens of geography, they explore and learn about the economies, history, and civics of these regions. Relevant global issues provide opportunities for addressing multiple standards through focused inquiry, inviting students to generate and research compelling and supporting questions. Regional themes are investigated through localized topics as students work to discover the variety of factors that influence the past and present in Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Central Asia.

Students in the grade six are expected to consider and investigate issues through a variety of perspectives, while using evidence from multiple sources. Students will be expected to learn to seek out resources with credibility, summarize what they have read, communicate conclusions that incorporate details with relevant information and data to answer research questions posed for each theme. Furthermore, students in grade six will continue to discover connections between the history, physical and human geography, civics and economics of the people living in those regions.

I. Description and Purpose of the Course

II. Academic Expectations

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Ledyard Public Schools

Statement of Philosophy: Social Studies K-12 Curricula

“With the entire scope of human experience as its backdrop, the content of social studies consists of a rich array of facts, concepts, and generalizations. The way to tie all of this content together is through the use of compelling and supporting questions.”—C3 Frameworks for College, Career, and Civic readiness.

No discipline prepares the nation’s young people for success in college, career, and civic participation, more than social studies. Social studies education involves interdisciplinary instruction and benefits from interaction with and integration of the arts and humanities. Specifically, “meaningful and relevant social studies education integrates the study of civics, economics, geography, history, and the other social sciences through an inquiry-based instructional approach that is grounded in rich state, local, national, and global historical content.” (Social Studies Position Statement SDE, 2008).

Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts and skills from various disciplines. Given this vast array of content and skills, inquiry based instruction will be used as an organizing principle around which students may access the diverse content of social studies and begin to make sense of it for themselves. Inquiry should guide the teaching of social studies at all levels. Inquiry-based instruction and skill development are the emphasis of this revised social studies curricula and work in the service of helping students to discover rich social studies content. Furthermore, social studies as a discipline, naturally integrates key reading, writing, analysis, speaking and listening skills that are outlined in the Connecticut Core Standards. These standards are integrated into the K-12 social studies curriculum and identified at each grade level.

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Ledyard Public Schools

Social Studies Curriculum Introduction

How does Ledyard define inquiry?

Inquiry is defined as a way of seeking information, knowledge, or truth through questioning. Inquiry is a way for a learner to acquire new information and data and turn it into useful knowledge. Inquiry involves asking good questions and developing robust investigations from them. Inquiry also involves considering possible solutions and consequences. A third component of inquiry is separating evidence based claims from common opinion, and communicating claims with others, and acting upon these claims when appropriate. Questions lead to gathering information through research, study, experimentation, observation, or interviews. During this time, the original question may be revised, a line of research refined, or an entirely new path may be pursued. As more information is gathered, it becomes possible to make connections and allows individuals to construct their own understanding to form new knowledge. Sharing this knowledge with others develops the relevance of the learning for both the student and a greater community. Sharing is followed by reflection and potentially more questions, bringing the inquiry process full circle.

The Inquiry Arc in Social Studies

The revised Social Studies Curriculum now includes an inquiry design model for effective teaching and learning, and demonstrates how teachers can apply this model in their planning and delivery. Drawing on the Connecticut Elementary Social Studies Framework and the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards (National Council for Social Studies, 2013); the curriculum incorporates critical instructional shifts, and include:

Inquiry should be the primary form of instruction in all social studies classes Students and teachers should craft investigative questions that matter Teachers should establish a collaborative context to support student inquiry Teachers should integrate content and skills meaningfully Teachers should help students articulate disciplinary literacy practices and outcomes (thinking, reading,

writing, speaking like a historian, like a geographer, etc.) Teachers should provide, and help students communicate conclusions and tangible opportunities to

take informed action

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/board/ssframeworks.pdf

http://www.c3teachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IDM_Assumptions_C3-Brief.pdf

The social studies curriculum is designed around the Inquiry Arc of the C3 Framework. The Inquiry Arc highlights the structure of and rationale for the organization of the Framework’s four Dimensions. The Arc focuses on the nature of inquiry in general and the pursuit of knowledge through questions (College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards, 2013). The four dimensions below center on the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, deepen investigation, acquire rigorous content, and apply knowledge in real world settings to enable students to become active and engaged citizens in the 21st century.

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/board/ssframeworks.pdf

http://www.c3teachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IDM_Assumptions_C3-Brief.pdf

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http://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf

Specific notes to teachers addressing all of the units of studies

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies and activities may vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry should drive the instructional planning. All inquiries should be linked to the compelling question, which should be the same for all students within each grade level. The units are “living documents” as teachers will have the flexibility to use resources that support the interests of their students.

For each unit, as teachers find additional “Suggested Instructional Activities” in Dimension 2, those activities must align directly to the supporting questions, which are linked to the content. Additional Featured sources should also be linked to those same supporting questions.

Teachers will utilize the formative assessment process within Dimensions 2 and 3. If the assessment included in the unit does not meet the student needs, grade level teams have the option to make necessary revisions. However, these assessments should, again, be linked to the supporting questions.

Grade level teams also have the option to make revisions to the summative assessment and taking informed action of Dimension 4 if the assessment included does not meet student needs.

http://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf

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Component/Purpose Explanation

Compelling Question Frames the unit of study

The Social Studies Curriculum Team developed compelling questions. These are open-ended, have more than one correct answer, can cross disciplinary ‘lenses’, and time periods. These should be thought-provoking and intellectually engaging in nature. At the end of the unit, teachers may choose to incorporate a summative task that will answer the compelling question.

Staging the compelling question Builds student interest

In staging the question, teachers need to create an instructional space in which students are able to find merit, relevance, and interest in the investigation. The Question Formulation Technique is one way teachers can engage students in convergent and divergent thinking while generating student interest and tapping into student curiosity.

Supporting Questions Develops the key content

These questions focus student inquiry into specific disciplinary concepts or lines of inquiry. They are more specific in nature than compelling questions and often have more direct, concrete answers to them.

Disciplinary Concepts Provides the Disciplinary grade level

content

Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (supporting questions or compelling questions or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

Strategies and Activities Guides the opportunities to learn

content using various learning protocols (i.e., fishbowl, small group,

debates, etc.)

Suggested strategies and activities were generated by curriculum teams as tools to engage students in inquiry and align to Connecticut Core Standards and the Connecticut Elementary Social Studies Framework.

Featured Sources Provides opportunities to generate

curiosity, build knowledge and construct arguments

These sources were compiled by curriculum teams and include additional readings, links to digital sources and extension lessons that can be adapted to fit grade level instruction.

Formative Assessments Demonstrates understanding of the

supporting questions

These assessments were generated by curriculum teams and designed to evaluate student progress and inform further instruction. This is list should be considered a living document and changed based on student and teacher needs.

Summative Task Demonstrates understanding of the

compelling question

These tasks were created by curriculum teams to demonstrate student understanding of compelling questions, supporting questions, disciplinary concepts and evaluate student skill development.

Taking Informed Action Offers opportunity for civic

engagement

Taking informed actions include a range of venues and a variety of forms (e.g., discussions, debates, policy analyses, video productions, and portfolios). The manner in which students work to create their solutions can differ. Students need opportunities to work individually, with partners, in small groups, and within whole class settings. Through these actions, students apply what they learned through focused inquiry to real world civic actions. Taking Informed Action is not always going to be about the particular content, but rather the larger implications it has on the human experience.

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LPS Social Studies Curriculum Unit Planner

Grade Level: 6 Unit One: The “Tools” of Geography Timeline: 4-6 weeks

Unit Overview and Objective: In this unit, students will develop the map literacy skills necessary to analyze the characteristics of various regions in depth. Learners will understand how to use and differentiate between types of maps and other geographic representations, the physical characteristics of places and develop a geographic understanding of the earth. While students in this introductory unit will spend time working with recall of information, they will move to basic reasoning levels when they are asked to interpret map projections, compare and contrast regions and explain relationships between locations. Finally, students will move into complex reasoning when they cite evidence to support their conclusions about, map projections, the implementation of mapping technologies and evaluation of maps.

Theme(s):

1.Defining Regions

-Evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define a region

-Create graphic representations of various regions

2. Human-Environment Interaction

-Analyze how people from various world regions modify and adapt to their environments

Compelling Questions 1. How does geography help define humans understanding of the world?

Vocabulary

(Essential terms in bold)

Longitude, Latitude, equator, meridian, Prime Meridian, geography, landscape, relative location, absolute location, region, environment, climate, landform, weather, map, map scale, legend, key, climate region, elevation

Teacher Notes

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies/activities will vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry (questioning, researching, and communicating conclusions) should drive instructional planning. Use of provided supporting questions, or the development of student-generated inquiry, should be connected to Compelling questions in order to explore larger regional themes. It is equally important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

Dimension 1: Developing Disciplinary Questions: Students are expected look at an issue through a variety of perspectives using

inquiry created by themselves and/or the teacher.

Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.4 Explain how the relationship between supporting and compelling questions are mutually reinforcing

Supporting Standards:

INQ 6-8.1 Explain how a question represents key ideas in the field.

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Key Strategies to address standard:

-Analyze Desertification image (DE Tech Book 1.1 Engage Tab)

-Analyze “the changing earth” excerpt (DE Tech Book 1.1 Engage Tab)

-Brainstorm possible responses to supporting questions

-Evaluation of “geographic” problem - solve with map

-Foldables of geographer’s “tools”/view

Supporting Questions:

1. How do geographers look at the world?

2. What are the “tools” of a geographer and how do they work?(i.e., Globes, Maps, GPS, GIS, Satellite images)

3. What significant problems might a geographer find solutions for?

Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Concepts: Students are expected to find interconnected ways that physical and human

geography interact with history, economics and civic life to explain the life of people living in a region.

Priority Standards:

-GEO 6-7.1 - Construct maps to represent and explain the pattern of cultural and environmental characteristics in our world.

-GEO 6-7.2 - Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.


CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1


Key Concepts/Content to be addressed:

**Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (supporting questions or compelling questions or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

-5 Themes of Geography: Location, Place, Movement, Human Environment Interaction, Region (SQ1)

Physical Geography:

-Latitude and longitude (SQ1, SQ2)

-Use relative terms to describe location (SQ1, SQ2, SQ3)

-Discuss relationships between geographical boundaries (nations, continents, world) (SQ1)

-Locate major geographic features (SQ1, SQ2)

-Physical features of earth (SQ1, SQ2)

-Climate zones (SQ1, SQ2)

-Land forms (SQ1, SQ2)

-Map projections/special purpose maps(SQ2, SQ3)

-Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping (SQ2, SQ3)

Human/Cultural Geography:

-Population issues (SQ1, SQ3)

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/1/


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-Elements of culture (SQ1,SQ3)

-Forms of government (SQ1,SQ3)

-Economies of the world (SQ1,SQ3)

Instructional Strategies and Skills

-Question formulation technique (QFT) - Formulating questions based on an image or other “focus”

-Visual map analysis

-Thinking like a historian - introductory lessons

-Debate strategies/techniques

-Artifact analysis

-Reading for information

-Collaborative groups skills

Formative Performance Tasks

It is important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

-Guided reading activities

-Debate on digital mapping/privacy

-Group work (rubric)

-Map analysis

Dimension 3: Using Evidence: Students are expected to use evidence from a wide variety of credible sources

Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions: Student are expected to take informed action to communicate conclusions using

relevant data and information to answer questions posed for each theme.

Priority Standards:

-INQ 6-8.7 - Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.

-INQ 6-8.10 Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging strengths and limitations of sources




Summative Assessment/Extensions with evidence based claims

It is important to consider this document

Unit objective assessment including vocabulary terms and key concepts (DE Tech Book Chapter 1 Assessment)

Brief or Extended written response (DE Tech Book 1.1,1.2 Evaluate Tab)

Informative/explanatory writing = journal entry from location in Western United States describing landforms, animals, plants, people, and climate encountered including a visual summary of “tools used” to make these conclusions and a connection to one of the geographic themes. (These journals



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as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

can be done as formative assessments with a more culminating journal as the summative assessment)

EXTENSION: Create a game show called, “a geographer's world” which asks contestants to respond to a series of questions about geographer’s “tools” and geographic themes.

Featured Sources -Discovery Education Techbook Chapters 1.1, 1.2

-DE Global News Weekly

-http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/what-geography/ - What is geography comic book

w/analysis questions

-http://www.nyctourist.com/video-times-square360.htm = understanding location

-Katrina slide show = location changes over time

-Andrew Lavoie/Stephen Chau primary sources = Street Mapping debate

-SIRS researcher = http://www.proquest.com/libraries/schools/

-https://www.msu.edu/~briggsei/GEO%20485/Lesson%20Plan.htm - map projections lesson plan

-http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2015/11/mapme-good-tool-for-creating-interactive-

maps.html - Digital mapping

-http://www.loc.gov/maps/collections/ - Library of Congress map collections

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/what-geography/

http://www.nyctourist.com/video-times-square360.htm

http://www.proquest.com/libraries/schools/

https://www.msu.edu/~briggsei/GEO%20485/Lesson%20Plan.htm

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2015/11/mapme-good-tool-for-creating-interactive-maps.html

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2015/11/mapme-good-tool-for-creating-interactive-maps.html

http://www.loc.gov/maps/collections/

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Grade Level: 6th Unit Two: Latin America (Central and South America) Timeline: 6-8 weeks

Unit Overview and Objective: In this unit, students will evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define Latin America, analyze how people from these regions adapt to their environment, and create graphic representations of these regions.

Students will begin with recall of information regarding the physical features of each region, move into basic reasoning when assessing how governments evolve over time, and conclude in extended reasoning when synthesizing information in an understanding of how geography impacts the lives of people in these regions (economic, political and social).

Theme(s):

1.Defining Regions

-Evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define these regions of Central America and the Caribbean.

-Create graphic representations of various physical, cultural, social, political, and economic regions.


-Analyze how people from these regions modify and adapt to their environments.

-Analyze how people from these regions allocate their available resources.

Compelling Questions 1. How does geography influence the way people live?

2. How and why do places change over time?

Vocabulary


Isthmus, extinct, dormant, staple, surplus, conquistador, colonialism, revolution, plantation, cash

crop, Columbian Exchange, free-trade zone, remittance

Teacher Notes

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies/activities will vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry (questioning, researching, and communicating conclusions) should drive instructional planning. Use of provided supporting questions, or the development of student-generated inquiry, should be connected to Compelling questions in order to explore larger regional themes. It is equally important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

Dimension 1: Developing Disciplinary Questions: Students are expected to look at an issue through a variety of perspectives using


Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.1 Explain how a question represents a key idea in the field.


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INQ 6-8.5 Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources.

INQ 6-8.7 Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.

Key Strategies to address standards:

Image analysis - Geographic regions, cultural and economic features = (DE Techbook Engage Tab 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4)

Currency, Relevancy, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose (C.R.A.A.P.) test for website evaluation

Reading like a historian - intro lessons

Note-Taking techniques - Cornell 2-Column notes

Citation rules - Noodle Tools Starter

Brainstorming possible answers to questions and useful sources


1. What is the physical geography of Latin America like?

2. How does Latin American culture reflect its mixed roots?

3. How did the government and economics of Central and South America develop and change over time?

Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Concepts: Students are expected to find interconnected ways that physical and human geography

interact with history, economics and civic life to explain the life of people living in a region.

Priority Standards:

GEO 6-7.2 Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.

GEO 6-7.3 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people.

GEO 6-7.4 Analyze the cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar and different from one another.


HIST 6-8.1 Use questions about historically significant people or events to explain the impact on a region.

ECO 6-7.6 Explain barriers to trade and how those barriers influence the trade among nations

CIV 6-7.1 Explain specific roles played by citizens


**Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (supporting

Physical Geography:

-Land features (SQ1)

-Bodies of water (SQ1)

-Climate and Natural resources (SQ1) Human/Cultural Geography:

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questions or compelling questions or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

-Mexico’s history: early civilizations, colonialism, and independence (SQ2)

-Indigenous populations of the Caribbean (SQ2)

-Modern economic issues in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean (SQ3)

-Modern political, social, and economic issues/challenges in Mexico, Central and South America and

the Caribbean (NAFTA and its effects, changes in food, return of the Panama Canal...) (SQ3)


-Question Formulation Technique (QFT) - to design researchable questions for projects

-Mental mapping

-Map analysis

-Primary source evaluation - adaptation of National Archive protocol, determining central ideas

-Collaborative group skills

-Reading for information - use of graphic organizers, summarizing, word meaning activities

-Artifact analysis - adaptation of National Archive Protocol

-Jigsaw activities for document analysis

-Collaborative group work


**It is important to

consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

-DE Tech Book activities found in Explain and Elaborate tabs for sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

-Sketch mental maps of region

-Compose song about climate zone

-Primary source analysis of Columbus’ arrival, Cortes in Mexico (Appendix B) - written analysis

(fictional narrative)

-Timeline of region’s history

- Evaluation of developed questions (QFT - Question Formulation Technique)

- Internet source evaluation (Appendix B)

-Objective quizzes

-Exit tickets

-Debate on current social or political issues, i.e. impact of NAFTA or Cuba relations


Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions: Student are expected to take informed action to communicate conclusions using relevant

data and information to answer questions posed for each theme.

Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.8 Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources to support claims, noting evidentiary limitations.

INQ 6-8.11 Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequences, examples, and details with relevant information and data, while acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of explanations.

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INQ 6-8.15 Draw on multiple disciplinary lenses to analyze how a specific problem can manifest itself at local, regional, and global levels over time, identifying its characteristics and causes, and the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address the problem.




CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7


****It is important to


-Common unit objective assessment: (Discovery Education Tech Book Evaluate tab 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 or modified DE Chapter 3 assessment)

-Create a virtual tour of the regions including information that reflects a detailed understanding of unit Compelling questions. -Source citation, minimum 3 sources

-Make a “news map” including recent events that have occurred in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Events must relate to region’s physical features, history, culture, and current events

-Informative/Explanatory writing comparing plantations (cotton and rice) of American south to sugar plantations in Caribbean Islands: social, political, economic impacts (Compare working) ELA Rubric

Featured Sources

-Discovery Education Tech Book Chapters 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4


-Online databases - News bank, ProQuest www.proquestk12.com, National Archives www.archive.org

-Print resource books on region

-Online maps and atlases

-Junior Scholastic

-Reading Like A Historian = https://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh

-News ELA www.newsela.com



http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/6-8/7/

http://www.proquestk12.com/

http://www.archive.org/

https://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh

http://www.newsela.com/

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Grade Level: 6 Unit Three: Issues in the Amazon Timeline: 2-3 Weeks

Unit Overview and Objective: In this unit, students will analyze how people from South America modify and adapt to their environment, as well as how these diverse people allocate their available resources. Students will also analyze how the cultural aspects of some people in this region spread beyond their borders. Finally, students will analyze the various uses for the resources of the Amazon rainforest and the economic and environmental impact of their use. Students begin with recall of information by defining the physical features of Amazon Basin, move into basic reasoning while explaining how history has affected the development of diverse cultures in the tropical north and conclude in extended reasoning when synthesizing information in assessing the economic and environmental impact on this region.

Theme(s):




2. Global interconnections: Cultural Diffusion

-Analyze how the cultural aspects of S. America spread beyond its borders.

Compelling Questions 1. How does where we live affect how we live?

2. How has competition for resources and land affected the development of a region/culture?

Vocabulary


Tributary, basin, rain forest, canopy, plateau, pampa, tropics, temperate zone, indigenous, slash-and-burn, emancipate, hinterland, elevation, trade winds, cash crop, immunity, encomienda, hacienda, Creole, tariff, estuary, altitude, cordilleras, multinational, coup-d’état, biodiversity

Teacher Notes

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies/activities will vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry (questioning, researching, and communicating conclusions) should drive instructional planning. Use of provided supporting questions, or the development of student-generated inquiry, should be connected to Compelling questions in order to explore larger regional themes.

It is equally important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.



Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.5 Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources


INQ 6-8.1 Explain how a question represents a key idea in the field

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-Question formulation technique = generate further questions based on “Question Focus” (Qfocus) on the Amazon

-Artifact/image analysis

-Point of view exercise with historical images


1. How does the physical geography of the Amazon shape is past and present?

2. How has the history of the Amazon influenced its diverse culture and geography?

3. In what ways can humans responsibly interact with this major geographic region?



Priority Standards:

Geo 6-7.2 Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between locations of places and

regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.

Geo 6-7.5 Explain the connections between the physical and human characteristics of a region and the identity of individuals living

there.

Geo 6-7.9 Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world



CIV 6-7.1 Explain specific roles played by citizens


**Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (supporting questions or compelling questions or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

-Waterways, Landforms and climate of Amazon region (SQ1)

-Natural resources and biodiversity of Amazon region (SQ1)

-Early History and colonial rule of Brazil (SQ1)

-Impact of farming, mining and deforestation (SQ2)

-Economic and social potential for the Amazon region (SQ2, SQ3)

-Independence and indigenous rights/preservation of culture (SQ3)

-On-going political and cultural issues of the people and places in this region (SQ3)

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-Research skills - source evaluation

-Analysis and synthesis of information

-Argumentative writing structure - aligned to ELA Rubric(s)

-Paraphrasing strategies

-Issue analysis




-Advertisement for ecotourism (DE Tech Book 3.5 Explain tab)

-Land use debate (DE Tech Book 3.5 Elaborate)

-Problem solving chart on land use (DE Tech Book 3.5 Explain/Elaborate tabs)

-Explanatory writing on land use (DE Tech Book 3.5 Explain/Elaborate)

-Children’s book about Amazon using Story Jumper (Appendix C)

-Environmental case study on alternative energy (Appendix C)

-Impact of globalization on indigenous culture debate (Appendix C)

-Objective quizzes

-Exit tickets


Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions: Students are expected to take informed action to communicate conclusions using


Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.6 Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection

INQ 6-8.11 Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequences, examples, and details with relevant information and data, while acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the explanations.



CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.b



consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet

-Common summative assessment (DE Tech Book 3.5 Evaluate tab)

-Extended response (DE Tech Book 3.5 Evaluate tab)


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/6/1/b/

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the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

Featured Sources -Discovery Education Techbook section 3.5


-http://www.mhhe.com/Enviro-Sci/CaseStudyLibrary/ - Environmental Case Studies

-Story Jumper animator www.storyjumper.com

-Animoto - www.animoto.com (Short digital video maker)

-Glogster - www.glogster.com (Multimedia posters)

http://www.mhhe.com/Enviro-Sci/CaseStudyLibrary/

http://www.storyjumper.com/

http://www.animoto.com/

http://www.glogster.com/

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Grade Level: 6 Unit Four: Europe Timeline: 6 weeks

Unit Overview and Objective: In this unit, students will evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define Europe, analyze how these structures of today relate to Europe’s past, and evaluate the current contributions of Europe to the global society. While the focus of this unit will be on the Western European regions, evaluation of some parts of Eastern Europe are included as well. Students begin with recall of information regarding the physical features of the region, move into basic reasoning when assessing how social, political, and economic structures evolve over time, and conclude in extended reasoning when synthesizing information into an understanding of the contributions of Europe to today’s global society.

Theme(s):

1.Human-Environment Interaction



2. Cultural diffusion

-Analyze how the cultural aspects of European countries spread beyond their borders.

3. Human population

-Explore the makeup of the people in W. Europe

-Analyze Europe’s shifts in population over time for various reasons, i.e., disease, diaspora, religious or otherwise

4. Defining regions

-Evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define these regions of Europe.

-Create graphic representations of various physical, cultural, social, political, and economic regions of Europe.

Compelling Questions

1. How does where we live affect how we live?

2. How and why do places change over time?

3. How do new ideas change the way people live?

Vocabulary


dike, polder, estuary, Westerlies, deciduous, coniferous, feudalism, Middle Ages, pilgrimage, Parliament, industrialized, postindustrial, European Union, Eurozone

Teacher Notes

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies/activities will vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry (questioning, researching, and communicating conclusions) should drive instructional planning. Use of provided supporting questions, or the development of student-generated inquiry, should be connected to Compelling questions in order to explore larger regional themes.

It is equally important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or

activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel

obliged to revise as necessary.



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Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.1 Explain how a question represents a key idea on the field


INQ 6-8.4 Explain how the relationship between supporting questions and compelling questions is mutually reinforcing


Question Formulation Technique (Q.F.T) - using photograph to focus student inquiry as well as activate prior knowledge of Western Europe

Video analysis - create more supporting questions based on analysis of video montage

Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose (CRAAP) source evaluation strategy


1. How do the unique physical features and location of Europe shape the way European’s live?

2. What role have changing government and economic systems played in the lives and culture of Europeans?

3. How is Europe adapting politically, economically, and culturally to current challenges?



Priority Standards:

Geo 6-7.5 Explain the connections between the physical and human characteristics of a region and the identity of the individuals and

cultures living there.

Geo 6-7.3 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people.


CIV 6-7.2 Assess specific rules and laws as means of addressing public problems

CIV 6-7.3 Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies and promoting the common good.

HIST 6-8.1 Use questions about historically significant people or events to explain the impact on a region

ECO 6-7.7 Explain the benefits and costs of trade policies to individuals, businesses, and society





**Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (supporting questions or compelling questions

Geography and Human-Environment Interaction of Europe

-Landforms and waterways SQ1)

-Climate (SQ1)

-Natural resources and impact of human population (SQ1)

People, Culture, Government, and Economy of Europe

-History of the Region through 1800 (SQ2)




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or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

a. Roman Empire

b. Christianity

c. Middle Ages

d. Early Modern Europe

e. The Enlightenment

f. Renaissance

-WWI, WWII, Cold War: impact on economy and government (SQ2)

Modern Issue Analysis

-Ethnic and Language groups (SQ2)

-European Union formation (SQ3)

-Religion, Music and the arts (SQ3)

-Daily life and current challenges (SQ3)


-Map analysis: Political, climate and resource

- Reading Skills: Document analysis

-Writing skills: timeline of historical events, note-taking, argumentative responses to supporting

questions

-Critical thinking skills: infographic analysis, cause and effect charts, debate, timeline analysis, analysis

of impact of current programs/controversial issues in Western Europe

-Collaborative group skills

-Technology skills - digital timeline maker, video production (exit tickets)




-Activities under the Explain and Elaborate tabs in sections 4.1-4.5

-Source and artifact analysis

-Environmental case study

-Timeline of history through 1800 (Appendix D)

-Black Plague activity(Appendix D)

-Debate on European Union (Appendix D)

-Objective quizzes

-Exit tickets


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Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.6 Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection

INQ 6-8. 11 Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequences, examples, and details with relevant information and data, while acknowledging the strengths and weakness of the explanations.


INQ 6-8.10 Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments



CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7




Common Objective Assessment (DE Chapter 4 Assessment)

Brief or Extended Response (DE 4.1-4.4 Evaluate tab)

Extension: Student created presentations, which address how modern society in Western Europe has been influenced by its ancient or indigenous ancestry. Students must generate research questions, a bibliography, and include information that reflects a sense of place, time, and quality. Students critique each other's presentations and submit questions to the group for further research.

Possible topics include: Vikings influence on Modern Scandinavia, Ancient Greece on modern Greece, European Union’s evolution from monarchy roots, etc.

Featured Sources -Discovery Education Tech Book 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5


-Junior Scholastic

-Primary sources on W. European History - Black Plague, Crusades etc.

-Tiki-Toki digital timeline maker - www.tiki-toki.com

-The Path of the Black Death - http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/path-black-death

-Understanding the Black Death (Stanford History) - https://sheg.stanford.edu/understanding-black-death




http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/6/7/

http://www.tiki-toki.com/

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/path-black-death

https://sheg.stanford.edu/understanding-black-death

https://sheg.stanford.edu/understanding-black-death

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Grade Level: 6 Unit Five: Russia and Central Asia Timeline: 6 Weeks

Unit Overview and Objective: In this unit students will analyze how Russia and Central Asia geographic features and population patterns define this region and examine how this region’s social, political and economic structures today are a product of their past. Students will also consider the convergence of geographic and social factors, which make political and social unity difficult in this region. Students will begin with basic reasoning as they explore the geographic region that is Eastern Europe. Students will move into reasoning that is more complex when they explain how and why the history of the region affects life there today, and they will extend their reasoning when they analyze contemporary issues in the region today and synthesize their information from prior knowledge. **Although the focus of this unit will be Western Russia, parts of the Central Asian region will be included as well.

Theme(s):

1. Defining regions -Analyze how people from these regions modify and adapt to their environments.


2. Human-Environment Interaction -Evaluate cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics that define these regions of E. Europe and W. Russia.

-Create graphic representations of various physical, cultural, social, political, and economic regions of E. Europe and W. Russia.

3. Global Interactions -Analyze how the cultural aspects of these regions have spread beyond its borders.

-Examine the diversity of views on human rights in this region

Compelling Questions 1. How and why do people, places, and ideas change over time?

Vocabulary


upland, steppe, brackish, reserves, czar, serf, genocide, communism, collectivization, inflation, oligarch, devolution, Soviet Union, Cold War

Teacher Notes

In every unit, it is critical to engage each dimension of the instructional arc and provide students with opportunities to communicate what they learn in relation to what they wonder. While strategies/activities will vary among teachers, the essential elements of focused inquiry (questioning, researching, and communicating conclusions) should drive instructional planning. Use of provided supporting questions, or the development of student-generated inquiry, should be connected to compelling questions in order to explore larger regional themes.

It is equally important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.



Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.4 Explain how the relationship between supporting questions and compelling questions is mutually reinforcing

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INQ 6-8.5 Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions




-Think-pair-share = students brainstorm common characteristics and economic challenges they face (Appendix E)

-Document analysis

-Timeline analysis

-Image analysis

-Socratic seminar = connect students own experience with challenges to unique challenges of region through story, timeline, and

image analysis (Appendix E)


1. In what ways have the landforms, climate and natural resources of Russia and central Asia shaped the lives of the people of this region?

2. How has the history and government of Russia changed over time?

3. What are some of the political, economic, and cultural challenges this region faces today?



Priority Standards:

GEO 6-7.4 Analyze the cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar and different from one another.

GEO 6-7.5 Explain the connections between the physical and human characteristics of a region and the identity of individuals and cultures living there.

GEO 6-7.9 Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world.


GEO 6-7.3 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people

CIV 6-7.3 Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies in promoting the common good.
















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**Content can be used as a tool for addressing a particular line of inquiry (focus questions or compelling questions or both). Depth of content depends on its relationship to the line of questioning established by the teacher and students.

Geography and Human-Environment Interaction

-Landforms and Waterways (SQ1)

-Climates (SQ1)

-Natural resources (SQ1)

People, Culture, Government, Economy

-Early history = Slavic states, imperial Russia, Czars and Feudalism (SQ2)

-Conflict and Communism (SQ2)

-The region in the modern era = Cold War and changes (SQ2)

Modern Issue Analysis

-People and places today = economic changes, social and political changes (SQ3)

-People and cultures = Ethnic and language groups, religions, arts and daily life (SQ3)

-Current issues in the region (SQ2,SQ3)


-Document analysis

-Map analysis

-Image analysis

-Determining cause and effect

-Summarizing


****It is important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

-Map analysis

-Travelogue presentation

-Communism simulation

-Speech on impact of fall of communism on daily life from different perspectives

-Narrative writing - letter to American cousin from perspective of Russian or Central Asian relative

-Fictitious interview with person who lived in Central Asia or Russia during a historical event in the

region (podcasts)

-Skit of historical event in region




Priority Standards:

INQ 6-8.6 Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection

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INQ 6-8.10 Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.


INQ 6-8.9 Develop claims and counterclaims while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both.






****It is important to consider this document as a “living document”. If the included assessment or activity suggestions do not meet the needs of the teacher’s classroom, the grade level teams should feel obliged to revise as necessary.

-Common summative assessment (DE Techbook Chapter 5 Assessment)

- Informative/Explanatory writing In the 1990s, Russia began to make a transition from a communist economy to a more capitalist economy. Discuss how this transition has worked so far. What are some of the positive and negative factors in the change?

Featured Sources -DE Techbook Chapters 5.1-5.5


-Online databases - News bank (www.newsbank.com), ProQuest (www.proquestk12.com)

-Print resource books on region

-Online maps and atlases

-Junior Scholastic

-Reading Like A Historian

-News ELA





http://www.newsbank.com/

ledyard public schools social studies curriculum grade 6

Documents